


Tonight Is Ours

by stubzs87



Series: Yuugen [19]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Asuka is BAMF, Cute, Dating, Declarations Of Love, Dorks in Love, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Female Friendship, Fluff, Friendship, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I miss Asuka and Naomi's interactions, Idiots in Love, OTP Feels, Promises, Public Display of Affection, Randy is a douche nozzle, Relationship(s), Romance, Shipping, Suspense, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, WWE - Freeform, WWE Extreme Rules 2018, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24900538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stubzs87/pseuds/stubzs87
Summary: When he finished, she smoothed invisible wrinkles from his pleather vest, her hand lingering over his heart."Win or lose…" she began.Shinsuke's lips quirked upwards and he finished where she had trailed off, "Tonight is ours."
Relationships: Kana | Asuka/Nakamura Shinsuke
Series: Yuugen [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1085937
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Tonight Is Ours

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again for those that have commented and followed this series and sorry for the late update this month. Stuff going on in the world has sort of put me in a strange, almost restless mood and I feel "What do I do?" Lately, I've only been making masks and doing stuff for other people so it has left little time for me to know what to do for myself. Anyway I hope this anyone who reads this latest installment of Yuugen enjoys it~
> 
> Regular text in quotes=Spoken Japanese  
> Italic text in quotes=Spoken English  
> Italic text outside of quotes=Main character's thoughts  
> Centered italic text=Flashbacks  
> Bold text=emphasis on words

Asuka threw shadow punches as well as the occasional duck and kick in the middle of an empty hallway. She was already dressed in her ring gear and war paint. Her mask and kimono rested on a nearby chair, silent sentinels to her pre-match warm up. Her second title match with Carmella was just moments away.

A familiar presence slipped up behind her, calming her instead of alarming her. Two large warm hands came to rest on her shoulders, gently working out any remaining kinks there.

"Are you ready to be champion again?" Shinsuke whispered near her ear.

Asuka felt a small jab of disappointment – she already knew the outcome of her match. Instead of betraying the result or allowing the set back to get her down, she allowed herself to truly believe she was about to be champion again, for Shinsuke's sake as well as her own. The match result was to be kept secret anyway

She leaned back against his chest and closed her eyes, soaking in his love and support. She smiled. Though she would not be winning any titles tonight, Asuka felt as though she had at present won the greatest prize of all.

"I'm already a champion, Shinsuke," she finally replied, opening her eyes and leaning her head back to look up at him.

Shinsuke grinned, pressing his lips to her forehead. "A perfect mindset." He turned her in his arms and tenderly cupped her face. Asuka sighed dreamily into the soft kiss he gave her.

Yes, this was worth more than any gold she could ever possess.

They broke apart at the sound of a throat clearing. A timid looking female WWE staff member stood a few feet away, nervously fidgeting at having caught them both in such a private moment.

" _Can I help you, miss?"_ Shinsuke asked, slinging a casual arm around Asuka's shoulder.

_"Uh…A-Asuka's needed at Gorilla,"_ the meek young woman – possibly an intern? – stammered. She was blushing so much her face could have been a tomato.

" _Ah yes, of course."_ Shinsuke pulled Asuka closer to his side, tilting her chin up so their eyes met. He caressed her jaw and smoothed his thumb over her lips. _"I'll see her there safely,"_ he said adoringly.

She had grown accustomed to Shinsuke holding her like this all the time in front of their friends, and quite a few in the business knew of their relationship. But the fact that he was displaying such an act of affection in front of an essential stranger, made Asuka's cheeks flame with a little heat as well.

She chanced a glance at the other woman. The poor intern looked like she might faint.

" _We should get going,"_ Asuka said, mildly attempting to disentangle herself from Shin's embrace.

He let her go easily, but not before brushing his mouth delicately over her knuckles. _"Sure thing, my Empress."_

One last look at the intern showed the other woman to be on the verge of swooning. Asuka shot Shinsuke a lukewarm glare as she donned her kimono. He just grinned roguishly back at her and picked up her mask. Asuka rolled her eyes but walked hand and hand with him towards the appointed area.

"What were you doing back there?" she asked once they were some distance from the shy intern. "Making that poor girl blush."

"Hm?" Shinsuke feigned innocence. "What do you mean, Niji? Ow!" he rubbed his ribs where she had smacked him.

"Plus you haven't been one to go out of your way to make public displays of affection in front of people we don't know."

His expression became foxy, presenting her with a grin and a wink. "I don't know, I just can't help myself right now. Tonight feels like it will be good for both of us."

Asuka's irritation instantly melted into fulfillment.

"You're right. Win or lose," she squeezed his hand. "Tonight is ours."

Just as they reached Gorilla, another staff member alerted her that she would be making her entrance soon. Asuka shook herself loose, briskly dancing from one foot to the other to further warm up her muscles.

"You've got this," Shinsuke said, handing over her mask.

Her music hit.

"Don't worry about me." She pecked him on the lips. "Your match is right after mine."

"Touché," he said, breathing her in.

Asuka lingered as long as she could before slipping on her mask. She parted the curtain and stepped out onto the stage in full Empress mode.

No matter that she was slated to lose, she felt like a winner. And nothing and no one could take that feeling from her.

Her head was perfectly fine (she had thrown her arms against the shark cage to block her forehead from slamming into the steel). Even so, the first thing Shinsuke did when she managed to reach him amidst the small crowd was to cradle her face in his palms and stoop to examine her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She lightly swatted his hands away but smiled at his concern.

"No, Niji, are you **okay**?" he repeated, stroking stray locks of her hair back from her cheek.

Asuka wondered initially what Shinsuke meant, then she realized that he was talking about the outcome of the match.

"Yes, I'm okay," she replied with conviction. "When I heard that I would once again not become Women's Champion, I was a little sad. But then I was able to accept it."

_Because simply being with you makes me happy._ But she didn't say that aloud.

"Oh? Just like that?" he asked.

Asuka nodded. "So I decided to just have the best match I could with the time I was allowed. I do wish the match could have been longer and that I could've shown more of myself. But it was fun kicking Ellsworth around."

"That **was** fun to watch," Shinsuke agreed cheekily, then his smile softened. "Well if you're all right, then that is all that matters to me." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed the crown of her head. Asuka sighed contentedly and pressed her ear to his chest.

" _Hey man, lay off the mush. We're due out there any time now."_ Asuka opened her eyes to see the current United States Champion, Jeff Hardy, standing nearby, decked out in black and white face paint.

The other man's words only served to make Shinsuke tighten his arms around her.

Jeff's features broke out into a smile. _"I'm just joking,"_ he told the both of them, then turned his attention to Asuka. " _You looked great out there, by the way. Nice strikes."  
_

Asuka pulled back from Shinsuke to properly address Jeff, _"Thank you, it was fun! And I'm still not giving up on that championship."  
_

" _That's the spirit!"_ Jeff smiled widely. His music began to play. _"Well, I'll see ya out there,"_ he said to Shinsuke and gave a little salute. Shin nodded in response. They watched on as The Enigma stepped through the curtain.

Asuka surveyed Shinsuke as he stretched and warmed up and made sure all of his ring gear was in place. He began performing deep breathing techniques along with soothing hand and arm motions. All of this served to center him. She never ceased to find his pre-match ritual fascinating and peace-inducing.

When he finished, she smoothed invisible wrinkles from his pleather vest, her hand lingering over his heart.

"Win or lose…" she began.

Shinsuke's lips quirked upwards and he finished where she had trailed off, "Tonight is ours."

They kissed once more before it was his turn to make his way to the ring. It was as light as the previous kisses, yet there was a nuance. It felt like Shinsuke was not only sealing her lips with his but also sealing a promise. Asuka's heart pattered pleasantly in her chest.

Despite their come-whatever-may attitude, as she watched her man strut down to the ring from the monitor, Asuka couldn't help but wonder at the outcome of Shinsuke's match.

" _What I wanted most out of coming to WWE were three things: to face the best, to fight a champion, and to become a champion."_

Shinsuke's words from his recovery period reverberated from within her memory bank. He had already weathered through three unsuccessful title ventures and an injury. Could he handle another loss?

Asuka let out a long exhale and clasped her hands together so that they wouldn't visibly shake.

_"Hey, girl! I thought I would find you here,"_ came the bubbly voice of Naomi. Asuka was so intent on the monitor that she gave a little yelp. Naomi's face sobered along with her tone. _"Are you alright, Asuka?"_ she asked, placing a hand on Asuka's shoulder.

Asuka smiled shyly and wrung her trembling hands. _"I'm okay…just…nervous."_ She nodded up at Shinsuke on the screen.

" _Girl, don't I know that feeling,"_ Naomi said sympathetically. " _Don't worry, okay? Things'll work out one way or another, even if they don't tonight."_

Asuka nodded at her friend's words, covering her hand with her own. _"I will try to enjoy the match instead of worrying. Thank you, Naomi."_ She was eternally grateful that her friend had come along when she did or else she was certain she might be a wreck of nerves.

_Funny how you're more concerned about Shin's match than you were for your own,_ she thought, but brushed it aside.

" _It's no problem at all!"_ Naomi exclaimed. _"Ladies all gotta stick together."_

" _Yes!"_ Asuka readily agreed.

Before long Asuka took note of other WWE Superstars mingling around her and Naomi at the screen. There were AJ, Gallows and Anderson, Tye Dillinger, Becky, Charlotte, Seth Rollins, Peyton and Billie, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Daniel and his wife Brie, among a few more. And of course Triple H, and Vince and Shane McMahon at their monitoring stations.

" _There are a lot of people watching,"_ Asuka whispered, eyes wide.

" _Don't look so surprised,"_ Naomi murmured with a smile. _"You had quite a lot of people watching yours too."_

" _Really?"_ Then again her attention had mostly been on Shinsuke when she returned. She only vaguely remembered the hugs and encouragements of her co-workers.

Most often she was able to give everyone her undivided attention. But then there were times when her world narrowed down to her and Shinsuke, and she could do little about it.

Naomi just shook her head with a knowing smile. _"You got it bad, girl."_

Asuka was about to ask her friend about what she had that was bad when the ring announcer grabbed her attention and placed it firmly back on the match.

Shinsuke was introduced first as he was the challenger to the belt. He played up his heel role well, though his actions were simple. He only gave a bow, but it held such arrogance and condescendence that no words were ever needed. Next, the announcer introduced Jeff before going over the rules of the match.

The referee then took the United States Championship from Jeff and showed it to Shinsuke. Shin gazed at it briefly, but meaningfully, before brushing a tentative finger over the gold plate.

Asuka tried to gauge whether or not he was coming home with the title based on those actions alone, however, they were so ambiguous that she couldn't decide one way or another. _Damn, Kitsune is good._ Once again her thoughts wrestled with each other though she managed to keep her outward appearance under control.

The championship was presented to the crowd, then as the referee made his way to hand the belt over to the timekeeper at ringside, Shinsuke swooped in on an oblivious Jeff Hardy, dealing him a low blow.

There was a collective gasp around Gorilla, well except for AJ, who shouted, _"I knew it!"_

Shinsuke had completed his deed so quickly that by the time the referee had turned around to start the match, Shin had made it more than halfway back to the other side of the ring. He stood in a corner, affecting an air of naivety, while the ref checked on the downed champion. The official walked over to Shinsuke, seeming to ask him what had transpired. Shinsuke's response and posture were almost demure.

_Will the ref believe him?_ Asuka was almost bouncing on her feet in anticipation. Her heart leaped into her throat as Jeff was asked if he could compete. Jeff demanded the bell despite his unfavorable condition.

_That mean's Shin will –_

" _Kinshasa!"_ Corey yelled on commentary.

Like his proceeding sneak attack, Shinsuke hit his finisher with lightning speed. Three short beats later the bell tolled once again, only this time declaring Shinsuke the winner and the new United States Champion.

" _ **Yes!**_ _"_ Asuka shouted, jumping and pumping her fist in the air.

" _There we go!"_ Naomi cheered, clapping her hands.

Though Shinsuke's match had been even shorter than hers and he didn't get to show off much of his skills, it didn't seem to matter. Behind his heel façade, genuine elation shown through in the broadness of his smile and the shininess of his eyes as he held up his first main roster title.

And though the fans were supposed to hate him, right now the crowd loved seeing the King of Strong Style with some gold in his hands.

Back at Gorilla, everyone that had turned out to watch the match seemed to be satisfied with the outcome. There were smiles and clapping, and nearly everyone came over to congratulate her on her man's victory. Their support for both her and Shinsuke filled her to the brim with humble gratitude.

Asuka was so caught up in the celebration playing out inside the ring and going on around her, that she nearly missed the change in the atmosphere. She couldn't place it at first, but then she spotted Randy Orton slide past the party at the monitor to stand casually near the curtain.

" _What is Randy doing here?"_ she asked Naomi over the din of other Superstars.

Naomi looked around until she too saw the tall tattooed man. _"I dunno. Maybe he's supposed to make some surprise appearance after the match. He has been out on injury for a while now."_

Try as she might to overlook Orton's sudden appearance, Asuka couldn't shake the light apprehension that seemed to trickle into her veins the moment he walked in.

"I hope that is all," she muttered to herself.

Shinsuke was still in the midst of his celebration when his music was overridden by Orton's theme. Randy shot her a chilling look before slinking through the curtains, making Asuka's blood run cold. She reigned in her emotions in time to catch Shinsuke's initial reaction to The Viper's arrival.

A look of shock flitted across Shin's face as he lowered himself from his perch on the ropes. More than once he mouthed "What the hell?" as he cautiously observed Randy's predatory approach. Shinsuke seemed to be so sincerely perplexed, that it was hard for even Asuka to believe that he knew about this beforehand. That or he really _**was**_ a good actor.

It was only a storyline and surely Randy had no real ill will regarding Shinsuke. Still, telling herself that did not stop the ball of dread that was gathering in the pit of her stomach from growing as she watched Orton stalk toward her man.

Shinsuke finally retreated, giving the ring up to the bigger man. Making the commentary table his new high ground, Shin clutched his championship protectively and met Randy's calculated stare with a defiant one.

_Why does this feel so real?_ Asuka asked herself, nerves once again on the fritz due to the building tension between the two men. It was palpable even through the screen.

The stare down eventually concluded when Orton unexpectedly pivoted on his feet, steely eyes resting now on a prone Jeff Hardy. The Viper then further surprised everyone by attacking the already damaged groin of the former U.S. Champion.

" _Looks like he is a heel again,"_ Asuka remarked after releasing a bated breath.

Naomi hummed in agreement.

" _Maybe he'll do better as a heel again,"_ Tye Dillinger jumped into the conversation with a low voice. _"If you ask me, Randy's been kind of boring as a baby face."  
_

But as she watched Shinsuke's grip on his title tighten, the stunned confusion on his face at the strange attack, Asuka found that she didn't quite agree with Tye's assessment. This Randy seemed dangerous and not just in persona. There was a certain quality about Orton that she couldn't quite place, but she felt in her gut that it was an aspect that she couldn't bring herself to like.

Randy was the first of the three men to return to Gorilla. Asuka eyed him discreetly as Vince, Shane, and then Triple H warmly greeted him ahead of anyone else. This wasn't unusual as all four men were quite close. Yet, while Vince seemed quite pleased with Randy's performance, Hunter appeared a touch more reserved in his reception of the younger man.

After receiving praise from the heads of the company, Orton was given supplementary congratulations by other WWE officials and Superstars. At last, Randy eerily swiveled his head to look at Asuka.

Did he feel her gaze on him even though she had been actively trying to hide her spying? How?

Instead of maintaining her pretense of looking elsewhere, Asuka turned to face him fully. Even if he unnerved her a bit, she wasn't about to show it.

Randy gave her a slow, sardonic wink. Inwardly Asuka recoiled, unsure to his reasoning for seemingly targeting her and Shinsuke. Outwardly she slipped on her metaphorical Noh mask, presenting him with a challenging countenance.

Being with Shinsuke had heightened her awareness of facial expressions and how to decrypt them in others. Randy's cocky expression faltered, though only a tested observer would have been able to pick up the subtle shift. Asuka caught it. Her lips curled up into a fearless grin.

Randy's jaw tightened, the muscle there ticking before he slowly slinked away. Asuka's smile widened in secret triumph.

When Shinsuke came back through the curtain, once again Vince, Shane, and Hunter were immediately there to meet him. By contrast, Vince seemed slightly less impressed than he had been with Orton. Triple H, though, was positively beaming. Afterward, a myriad of their friends and co-workers swarmed Shinsuke in order to congratulate him on his achievement.

Asuka could have gone over to her man any time she wanted, but she and Shinsuke tended to allow one another to be swamped by their friends and peers first after their matches. They needed their friend time as well as alone time together.

It was also less of a hassle to wait until everyone had gotten the revelry out of their system before approaching one another.

So while she waited for Shinsuke to make his way over to her, she turned her attention back to Naomi.

" _How will you spend your days off,"_ Asuka asked. Her English was steadily improving the longer she spent in America. She still wasn't quite as good as Shin, but with his help and the aid of her friends, she was slowly becoming more confident.

" _Well, Jimmy and I were thinking of having a barbeque and pool party on Thursday,"_ Naomi said. _"We're having a bunch of our friends over already, but you and Shinsuke are absolutely welcome to come if you want."_

_"That sounds fun! I would like to go, and maybe Shin would too."  
_

" _Maybe I would like to go where?"_ Shinsuke popped in at the tail end of their conversation. He had taken his mouth guard out and had thrown his leather vest back on, though it wasn't fastened. Asuka felt her entire being brighten at his presence and she eagerly tucked herself into his side.

" _A pool party and barbeque,"_ Naomi clarified. _"Jimmy and I would love to have the two of you over."_

Shinsuke slipped an arm around Asuka's shoulder and pulled her closer to his torso. She didn't mind her cheek pressing against the sweaty bare skin beneath his vest or the heady scent lingering on his body. _"Might not be surfing, but it could be nice,"_ he teased then looked down at Asuka. _"As long as Asuka approves."_

" _Why is it always up to me?"_ Asuka asked, rolling her eyes in mock dramatics.

" _Because you're the boss lady, the Empress,"_ he said as matter of fact. _"Even the King must obey the Empress."_

" _Oh?"_ Asuka felt a sudden lick of desire. _I'll have to file that away for later._

As though he had read her intentions, Shinsuke grinned down at her in a way that openly said _I hope you do_.

" _At least he can admit out loud that the woman is in charge,"_ said Naomi, unaware of their silent innuendos _. "Jimmy likes to act like he is, but more often than not he goes along with my decisions."  
_

_"I grew up with many women in charge: my mother, grandmother, two older sisters. They played a huge part in who I am now,"_ Shinsuke detailed. _"Many men like to believe they are running everything. But in truth, the world would fall apart without women."_

Naomi gave him appreciative smile. _"Asuka, I think you found yourself a keeper."_

_"Really? I was thinking of throwing him back,"_ Asuka replied, playfully pushing him from her.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Shinsuke reverted to their native tongue, sounding deeply offended, but Asuka knew he was only playing along with her game. He pointed to the United States Championship belt on his shoulder. _"I won this for you and this is how you repay me?"_

" _Well…"_ Asuka walked her fingers along the gold and enamel plate of the title up to his face, caressing his cheekbone with her thumb. _"Then maybe I will keep you."_

He leaned into her palm and kissed her palm gratefully.

" _Yes, I believe we have both chosen well,"_ Naomi reiterated.

" _Yes,"_ Asuka agreed, pecking her man first on the cheek then on his lips. She then turned back to Naomi. _"We will see how time will be this week, but I am sure we can go to your party_."

" _Of course,"_ Naomi nodded and they exchanged phone numbers. _"Just give me a call."_

" _I will,"_ Asuka assured her friend.

_"Sounds good! Well, I'll give you two some alone time and find my other half. Congratulations on your title win, Shinsuke!"_ Naomi smiled at Shin before hugging Asuka. She exchanged goodbyes with the two of them before leaving Gorilla to find Jimmy.

Shinsuke took Asuka by the hand and led her to a hallway that showed less foot-traffic.

A question immediately bubbled up in Asuka. "Did you know about Randy's return?"

Shinsuke's content expression turned pensive. "No, I didn't. I was just as surprised as the fans."

"I wonder why they had him come out like that?" Asuka placed a finger to her lip as she thought over the previous events. "You didn't look too happy that he had interrupted your moment."

"I wasn't," Shinsuke answered without hesitation, but he shrugged. "But life isn't always about satisfaction. In the grand scheme of things, though, it was only a tiny bother." He took her into his arms. "So don't let it trouble you, Niji."

Face hidden in his chest, Asuka bit her lip as she remembered how Orton had acted back at Gorilla. The malicious vibes he seemed to send her. She wanted to tell Shin about it, but she didn't want to rain on his parade. Maybe there wasn't any merit to her bad feelings anyway.

Asuka wouldn't worry, but she'd still keep an eye on The Viper.

"Okay," she verbally agreed, snuggling into Shinsuke's warmth.

After a beat of silence, Shin told her, "I meant what I said before."

"What?" She pulled back to look at him in confusion.

"This win wasn't just for me, Niji. I won this for you." He lowered himself to his knees and presented the U.S. Championship to her as though it were a prized Hanzo katana. He bowed his head and said, "This is as much yours as it is mine."

Asuka raised a shaky hand to her parted mouth. "W-What do you mean? You won it under your own power, it is your title."

He didn't raise his head when he replied, "No. I couldn't have won it without you."

"That…that's not true. Your winning this championship has nothing to do with me. Whether or not I was in your life, you could have easily won it."

"Perhaps I would have won it eventually," he peeked up at her almost shyly. "But I think you helped me reach this moment now. You recall what doctor Ammand said, about how well I had healed. I came back just in time to fight for the title at this pay per view. You helped me heal in time, Asuka, to compete for this title and to win it. You told me to save my thanks for when I was one hundred percent. Well, I am one hundred percent now." He edged the belt closer to her and lowered his head again. "Please accept this as my thanks."

"S-Shin," Asuka whispered weepily, tears blurring her vision. She took up the title in shaky hands, all but dropping it.

Shinsuke helped her by picking up the slack. He stood to his full height; smoothing a tear from her cheek with the back of his knuckle. "May I?"

She had no idea what he meant through her haze of emotion, but she knew she trusted him completely. She nodded. When he gently pulled on the championship, she let him have it back. To her surprise he moved behind her, fastening the title around her waist. He returned to his previous position in front of her and slid back down to his knees.

First, he kissed her bare stomach, then the U.S. Championship. Lastly, he pressed his forehead against the metal, wrapping his arms around her midsection in a loving embrace.

"Win or lose, you're still my champion, Asuka," he murmured so lowly she almost didn't hear it.

Her fingers wove themselves into the wavy locks of his mohawk, massaging his scalp in the way she knew he liked. "I love you," she said, her voice wispy yet resolute.

Asuka wondered for a moment if he had been able to discern what she said. The gentle squeeze of Shinsuke's arms and the light sigh he emitted let her know that he had.

While he didn't verbally return her words, his soul seemed to reach out and entwine with hers in that special way that transcended language, giving her a peek into the exclusive part of his heart reserved solely for her.

And through that spiritual connection, she saw enough to know that he unequivocally loved her too.

**Author's Note:**

> I know in reality Orton's actions that night was geared more towards Jeff Hardy, but I wondered why he was looking at Shinsuke like he was as well so I wanted to throw some drama outside of the ring for our two main characters. What could Orton be up to and why is he targeting Shinsuke and Asuka? A heads up: some of this series will focus on events that have happened in real life in WWE for Asuka and Shinsuke (with my take on it of course) but many will be what I wanted to have happened instead, so there may be some events that I have skipped over or changed. Again hope this fic was enjoyable. Feel free to leave a comment, etc. <3


End file.
